US lawmakers introduce bill to encourage preventive health care

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Lawmakers want Americans to seek out preventive health care.

“Hospitals were actually laying off people because people were afraid to go to the hospital,” Virginia Sen. Mark Warner said.

Warner and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott have introduced the GET CARE Act, which would start a campaign to educate the public on the importance of resuming medical procedures and health screenings.

“Even in the midst of COVID, go and get that preventative medicine, go and get your child vaccinated, go do those smart things because that’s going to make us all safer in the long run,” Warner said.

“This bipartisan legislation would encourage Americans to safely and responsibly seek out the preventive care they need,” Scott said in a statement.

The CDC says preventive care could save 100,000 lives a year, but that requires Americans to get their screenings done.

“Not only will lives be saved, we would also reduce the cost, the heavy financial burden downstream for the type of treatment and care that’s then required,” American College of Preventive Medicine CEO Donna Grande said.

Grande says they’ve seen diagnostic care and cancer screenings drop by more than 60 percent and this campaign could give the boost needed.

“And our country would be far more resilient if we could prevent the onset of death and disease,” Grande said.

The ACPM says if Americans return to their doctors for screening and preventive care, the country will be better prepared for flu season, just around the corner.